This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2001-81212 filed on Dec. 19, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that prevents substrate damage from occurring when a substrate is loaded/unloaded on/from a cassette.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) having characteristics of power-saving driving, full color realization, high image quality, and the like are widely used as screens in various devices such as watches, calculators, notebook computers and personal computers.
A process of fabricating such a liquid crystal display device mainly includes a substrate preparing process for constituting a liquid crystal display panel and a module assembly process.
In the related art, while the above-mentioned processes are carried out, a specially constituted substrate receiving apparatus is used for transferring a plurality of substrates and panels.
A substrate receiving apparatus for a liquid crystal display device according to a related art is explained by referring to the attached drawings as follows.
FIG. 1A illustrates a layout of a substrate receiving apparatus and a conveying robot according to a related art.
FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a substrate receiving apparatus according to a related art.
FIG. 1C illustrates a layout of a cassette-fixing clamp unit according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a substrate receiving apparatus according to a related art includes a cassette 102 that receives a plurality of substrates 104, a stage 103 supporting the cassette 102, and at least one port 100 under the stage 103. In this case, the cassette 102 is able to receive about 20 substrates.
A conveying robot 101 selects one of various ports 100, approaches the cassette 102 on the selected port 100, and then loads/unloads the substrates 104 one by one for processing the substrate 104.
Referring to FIG. 1C, a fixing clamp 105 is used for fixing the cassette 102 mounted on the stage 103 (shown in FIG. 1B). A cylinder 106 is installed on the clamp 105 so as to move the clamp forward/backward in a direction of the arrow. A side roller 107 is installed on the clamp 105 so as to reduce friction with the cassette 102.
Once the cassette is fixed thereto by the clamp 105, the conveying robot 101 carries out the function of taking the substrates 104 out one by one to process the substrates 104.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B illustrate receiving statuses of the substrates 104 put in the cassette 102 according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 2A, plates 202 are placed at both inner sides of a cassette 102 so as to support a substrate 104. The substrate 104 is placed on the plates 202. In this case, the plates 202 leave a predetermined interval from each other so that a robot arm 201 may enter a space between the substrates 104. Yet, a central portion of each of the substrates 104 droops downward due to its own weight.
Referring to FIG. 2B, an extent of the drooping increases as the substrate 104 is made to be thinner. Once the substrate 104 droops downward, the robot arm 201 advancing into the cassette for loading/unloading the substrate 104 fails to avoid touching another substrate. Hence, there is a chance the substrates may be damaged or for failure of the substrate.
In order to overcome such a problem there is a method for increasing an interval 206 between the upper and lower plates 202 or a length 207 of each of the plates 202. However, it is very expensive to modify all the cassettes used in a product line. Besides, it is troublesome to use a different cassette according to a thickness of the corresponding substrate 104.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that prevents substrate damage generated from the process of loading/unloading substrates on/from a cassette.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that provides a general cassette receive substrates therein regardless of various kinds of thickness of the substrates.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a substrate receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes a cassette having a plurality of plates inside so as to receive a plurality of substrates; a cassette loading unit uploading and downloading the cassette; a port supporting the cassette loading unit; and a plurality of auxiliary plates inserted inside the cassette from outside.
The plates may be arranged at both inner sides of the cassette so as to leave a predetermined interval from each other.
The auxiliary plates have a length that is substantially longer than the plates.
The auxiliary plates are placed substantially parallel with the plates, and a vertical interval between the auxiliary plates is about equal to that of the plates.
The substrate receiving apparatus further includes a plurality of auxiliary plate support bars arranged on the port.
Each of the auxiliary plate support bars is capable of revolving.
The substrate receiving apparatus further includes a plurality of clamps fixing the cassette to the cassette loading unit.
The substrate receiving apparatus further includes a plurality of cylinders moving the clamps forward and backward, respectively, and a plurality of side rollers that substantially reduce friction between the clamps and cassette.
In another aspect of the present invention, a substrate receiving method includes downloading a cassette so as to move substrates from plates of the cassette to auxiliary plates; unloading and loading the substrates on the auxiliary plates from/on the cassette; and uploading the cassette so as to move the substrates from the auxiliary plates to the plates of the cassette.
The method further includes fixing the cassette to a cassette loading unit having uploading and downloading functions.
The method further includes inserting the auxiliary plates inside the cassette from outside before the cassette is downloaded.
The auxiliary plates are inserted inside the cassette by revolving auxiliary plate support bars.
The auxiliary plates are inserted between the plates so as to be substantially parallel with the plates.
Namely, the present invention loads/unloads a substrate having been placed on the auxiliary plates to be substantially longer than the plates installed inside the cassette, thereby preventing substrate damage.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.